A man who specialises in finishing second in one-horse races, the Argentine was this week dismissed by Spanish side Racing Santander, his 12th club in an eventful, if not successful, 18 year managerial career.

Racing are currently rooted to the bottom of La Liga, having won just one of their opening 13 league matches. Last weekend’s 2-1 defeat at Real Mallorca, a club Cuper has had two spells in charge of, proved to be the final straw.

Cuper himself claimed he had left in order to “avoid generating negative news that would affect the players" and "to not provoke a situation that distracts from the essential objective" of beating Villarreal this Saturday.

Very gracious of him, though results and performances would surely be a more valid explanation?